Winterization

[pinkdogwood]

We are winterizing fifth wheel for the first time by ourselves. According to what we have researched, we blew out all the water with air compressor, emptied water heater, turned on the bypass valve to the water heater. We put six gallons of RV antifreeze in the fresh water tank and turned on the water pump. There is still no antifreeze coming out of the faucets. Any advice?

[robwhite61]

Did my first ever winterizing today. Only problem I had was valves to the fresh water tank were way in the far side of compartment. Once I got them in the right position it was no problem. Used just a tad under 2 gallons. Poured leftover in shower drain, reset all valves, pulled plug on WH to make sure its empty, opened fresh water drain, put everything back together, took out battery, then went home. Took me about 1 hour by myself.

[Veebyes]

As the responder said. We don't have a home to do it at so our winterizing is done at a CG. Last thing is a trip to the dump, empty both tanks, then open the low point for the freshwater tank & let that drain as we drive to the storage site.

[Dave_H_M]

bartiee wrote:
I take my Cedar Creek 36re to the dealer. For $68.00 they winterize my rig. PEACE of MIND

vs my $6 or $8 if it is not on sale give me peace of mind and I don't have to yank it to a dealer. There is nothing to it and it takes me about 30 minutes because I am older than dirt and slow.

[Vulcaneer]

bartiee wrote:
I take my Cedar Creek 36re to the dealer. For $68.00 they winterize my rig. PEACE of MIND

I can do mine (start to finish) in the yard, in a lot less time than it takes me to hitch up, and get it half way to the closest dealer. Total cost about $10. Which is about $290 less than the total cost of fuel both ways, (four ways really, because you need to leave it) and dealer labor charge to do the job. And when I do it, I know it is done right. Not depending on some unknown dealer tech. That is MY peace of mind. And I save a bundle in the mean time. And with the time saved, there are plenty of other things I can be doing, instead of driving back and forth to the dealer.

[Holiday_Ramble1]

I just switch the heater to bypass, then I switch the valve right before the pump to bypass and install the clear hose that came with the RV to the bypass valve at the pump. I put the hose into the pink stuff and flip the switch on in the camper. The pump will bring the water pressuer up and then the pump will cut off. I go to the sink the at the other end of the camper and open the cold water valve until it turns pink. Then I do the hot water vavle until it turns pink( it is not going thru the water heater). Then I go to the bath room and do the sink both hot and cold untill pink, then the tub/shower, and then the toliet. Takes just about 1 and 1/2 gallons and all of the pee traps are also treated. After I have finshed this Iturn the pump off and disconnect the clear hose at the pump, turn the valve back to flow and go under the camper and remove the drain plugs from all of the hoses. Then I remove the drain plug from the water heater. Takes about 15 mins to do. Cost about 4 bucks and done. No dealer can do any better than that!!!

[Michelle_S]

We find it much easier to just take our rig to someplace warm, then stay with it so it doesn't get lonely. I know, a tough job, but somebodies got to do it.

[Veebyes]

pinkdogwood wrote:
Great advice but we can't find the pump. We can hear it, but it is certainly not easily accessible.

Follow the noise. Can't be that hard. Follow pipe from water tank.

[bartiee]

I take my Cedar Creek 36re to the dealer. For $68.00 they winterize my rig. PEACE of MIND

[partsman01]

schlep1967 wrote:

pinkdogwood wrote:
We are winterizing fifth wheel for the first time by ourselves. According to what we have researched, we blew out all the water with air compressor, emptied water heater, turned on the bypass valve to the water heater. We put six gallons of RV antifreeze in the fresh water tank and turned on the water pump. There is still no antifreeze coming out of the faucets. Any advice?

First make sure you closed the low point drains. If not you pumped all the antifreeze out on the ground. Next check the water heater. Just to make sure the antifreeze didn't go in there. You said you turned the bypass valve but it is possible there is more than one valve or if it is a single valve system that the check valve is bad. Next would be to check for other valves. I have one that allows a circular flow back to the tank. The pump will run all day just pumping water from the tank through the lines and back to the tank. And as many have said, find your pump and install a winterizing kit. It will make the process easier and you will use a lot less antifreeze.

Been there done that, just did it again for the third time, always forget something on each fifth wheel I have owned.:S

[schlep1967]

pinkdogwood wrote:
We are winterizing fifth wheel for the first time by ourselves. According to what we have researched, we blew out all the water with air compressor, emptied water heater, turned on the bypass valve to the water heater. We put six gallons of RV antifreeze in the fresh water tank and turned on the water pump. There is still no antifreeze coming out of the faucets. Any advice?

First make sure you closed the low point drains. If not you pumped all the antifreeze out on the ground. Next check the water heater. Just to make sure the antifreeze didn't go in there. You said you turned the bypass valve but it is possible there is more than one valve or if it is a single valve system that the check valve is bad. Next would be to check for other valves. I have one that allows a circular flow back to the tank. The pump will run all day just pumping water from the tank through the lines and back to the tank. And as many have said, find your pump and install a winterizing kit. It will make the process easier and you will use a lot less antifreeze.

[Vulcaneer]

Here is what you need to do now.

Drain the Fresh Water tank of all that A/F. See if you can funnel it back into the jugs it came from. Then open the low point drains and blow out the system again, as you did before. Open the drain on the water heater to make sure that is clear of A/F too. Cap the low point drains tightly. Flush the water heater with plenty of cold water. Then plug in the drain plug.

Fill the fresh water tank with fresh water. And run the pump. When the pump stops running, go around to each faucet and open it up (both hot and cold) till clear water runs out. Then run it that way for another few minutes til there is no taste or smell to the water. That's right...do both the smell and taste test at each faucet. Even the shower's (inside and out). When the lines are clear to your satisfaction, then open the low point drains again and open all faucets again...to let the water run out of the system. Drain any water left in the fresh water tank. Close the faucets. Hook up the air line to blow the system out again. While the air is running thru the system, go around and open all faucets (one at a time) again. Close each one after the water is done spitting out of each faucet. Now your system should be clear and free of antifreeze. Be sure your water heater is in bypass mode. Be sure the low point drains are capped.

Locate your water pump. To do this remove all the BOTTOM drawers from the cabinets in the kitchen. Find the PEX water hoses and trace them back to the water pump. You might need to remove a cabinet panel to access the water pump. Disconnect the hose from the FW tank at the water pump. That is the input side of the water pump. Connect the shower hose to the input side of the water pump. Pour two gallons of A/F into a bucket. Sink the other end of the shower hose into the bucket of antifreeze. Turn on the water pump at the switch. The water pump will run until the system pressurizes. A/F level will lower in the bucket slightly. When the pump stops running, go flush the toilet until the pink comes out. Add a little more pink into the toilet bowl. After the pump re-pressurizes the plumbing system. Then open each of the hot and cold faucets...one at a time. And close to let the system re-pressurize. Do not forget the outside shower. Or washer drier prep lines. Or ice maker lines. You should have some A/F left in the bucket. If not add another gallon to the bucket to allow the system to re-pressurize. When the pump stops you are done. Reconnect everything and clean up the mess. Now pour some A/F into your sink and shower drains. Also washer drain, if needed. About a cup in each.

If the system does not pressurize, you can figure the A/F is going into the water heater tank. Pull the drain plug to check. If there is A/F in the water heater, then either the bypass valve leaks, or the check valve leaks, on the upper line into the water heater. Fix or change those out and then see if the system pressurizes.

[WyoTraveler]

So much easier to just blow out lines with air then just pink stuff to the p traps. We have a W/D so we have to add 1/2 gal to washer and spin it out. One of the things for first time RVers is don't use a large wrench on water heater drain plug and torque it tight. I use teflon plumbers thread tape and wrap about 6 turns around the nylon plug. Then tighten finger tight as tight as possible. Never had a plug leak and they also come out easy.

[rhagfo]

Dave H M wrote:
i cannot believe someone did not recommend the install of the fresh water pump bypass so the pink stuff can be sucked right out of the jug.

My tube for the antifreeze setting there all the time just waiting for me to stick it in the jug and flip the selector.

X2

Wife will not let me put the pink stuff in the water lines of our new 5er as she doesn't like the after taste. This even after running much water through the lines. In the old 5er I did install the pink by pass on the pump and I would use about a 1/2 gallon to fill the lines.

I am now just a drain (when necessary) and blow type of guy. I may do this six time a year depending how many trips we take and how cold it gets before the next trip.

[CaptPicky]

Give the model of your 5'ver and maybe someone can tell you exactly where you pump is located.